


I knew you'd come back to me

by fallendarknight86



Series: "Cardigan" [5]
Category: Glee
Genre: "I Do" Reviewed, AU, Angst, College Faberry, Drama, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Faberry, Femslash, NYADA!Rachel, One-Shot, Quinn and Rachel - Freeform, Romance, TS Inspired Fic, Yale!Quinn, alternative universe, long distance, music references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:21:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29386212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallendarknight86/pseuds/fallendarknight86
Summary: “Then, what do you want, Quinn?” She fisted the fabric of her sweater and leaned up, to brush her lips over Quinn’s.“I want you to choose me.” Quinn looked down into her eyes. “I want you to pick me, to choose me.”****************************A wedding should be a celebration of love, however it only re-opens old wounds and brings insecurities and fears up, risking everything they've built so far - 5th part in the "You put me on and said I was your favorite" series for VDay. - One Shot (loosely based on "I Do")
Relationships: Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray
Series: "Cardigan" [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031283
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	I knew you'd come back to me

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: so this is the 5th part in the "You put me on and said I was your favorite" series. It is an A/U to the episode "I Do" but it is Faberry centric with some drama involving Finn. I have been particularly inspired to write for this universe and with VDay approaching, I thought it'd be nice to post a Faberry fic celebrating it (or maybe not?).

**Summary:** A wedding should be a celebration of love, however it only re-opens old wounds and brings insecurities and fears up, risking everything they've built so far.

**Warnings:** sexual content, swear words.

**Music references:** "Cardigan" from Taylor Swift; "Apocalypse" from Cigarettes After Sex

**I knew you'd come back to me**

"What's this?" Quinn had seen the envelope when she had placed her laptop down on Rachel's desk, but she had forgotten to mention it when they had moved onto better activities.

Activities that required no clothes on.

"What's what?" Rachel towelled her hair and crossed the room to stand by Quinn's side.

"This envelope." Quinn handed it to the brunette. "Did you open it?"

"Oh, yes." Rachel produced the small paper inside, that carried her name written in neat golden words. "It's a wedding's invitation."

"Oh, a family member is getting married? Someone I know?" Quinn leaned back into the desk, arms crossed over her chest and ankles crossed.

"No and yes." Rachel sighed and dropped it back on the desk. Her hands reached for her arms to uncross them and make room for her body.

"I am confused." Quinn tried to get a glimpse of it but Rachel pulled her in for a soft kiss. Almost to placate her in advance.

"It's someone we both know." Rachel's hands slipped under the hem of her t-shirt, scratching along her stomach. "We know both the future groom and the bride."

"Someone from school? Is it Finn?" She smirked with a certain hope. She really wanted the boy to finally get the hint and move on. She was not going to give up on Rachel.

"No, it's not Finn." Rachel's lips trailed along her jawline, feeling her relax in her body. Familiar hands had sneakily pulled her robe open and were now caressing her bare hips, tracing her curves for the umpteenth time that day.

"Santana would've rubbed it in my face. Getting married before we did." Quinn tilted her head back and reached for her backside, pulling her closer.

"Why is it always a challenge between you two? Can't you be best friends like anyone else?" She whimpered and sank her teeth into the skin below Quinn's pulse, working on her fading hickey.

"It's how we work." Quinn squeezed her asscheeks and pulled their hips flushed together. They had just showered the scent of sex off their bodies and they were about to fall in bed, again. "You didn't answer my question."

"Which question?" Rachel licked the bruised skin and pecked it softly. She soothed the mark with her lips and tongue, even if she knew Quinn wasn't hurt. She was quite proud of it, actually.

"Whose wedding?" Quinn tilted her head down to lick her pouty lips.

"Mr. Schue and Emma." Rachel dropped more weight against the blonde. "It's in a month, the 15th of February."

"In a month? Could've told us earlier." Quinn dropped against the desk, leaning into it. "Do you want to go, right?"

"It's Mr. Schue." Rachel looked down into her girlfriend's eyes. "Don't you want to see the others?"

"Some yes, I guess." Quinn pulled her in by the waist and rested her head against her chest, nuzzling the familiar cross that was now wrapped around Rachel's neck. "I will have to cancel our plans then…"

"You had made plans?" Rachel lifted her head off her chest to kiss her softly.

"It's Valentine's Day weekend." Quinn nodded. "I had planned a weekend on our own, but we will have to go back to Lima."

"Can you move it to the weekend after?" Rachel bit down on her bottom lip. "We can celebrate a belated VDay?"

"Yes, I guess we could." Quinn looked down at the envelope on the desk, knowing there was probably one waiting for her at her dorm. "We need to book our flights back to Lima."

"Let's talk with Kurt and Santana and then we can book it. What do you think?" She pulled Quinn back into a kiss and moved backwards towards the bed, to take advantage of the last moments they had on their own.

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

She had spotted him before he could see them entering the hall that was set up for the wedding reception. Even if there had been no wedding, it was still a shame not to go through the reception so they had all moved into it while Mr. Schue went after the runaway bride.

"Do you want a drink?" Quinn whispered into her ear, tugging on her hand and trying to steer them towards the open bar. "I got fake IDs to get us a couple of glasses of wine if you want."

"Fake IDs? Where did you get those?" Rachel raised an eyebrow at her. If Quinn hadn't been caught deer in headlights, she would have appreciated the eyebrow raise in a perfect Fabray way.

"What do you think?" Quinn sent a quick glance across the room, to where Santana was sulking in a corner watching Sam and Brittany flirt by the opposite entrance.

"What's your fake identity Miss Fabray?" Rachel shook her head and stepped up into her personal space, placing a gentle kiss below her jawline.

"Elise Gatsby." Quinn coughed lightly. "From Connecticut."

"What's mine?" Rachel laughed in her neck, arms loosely draped over her shoulders to keep their closeness.

"Barbra Brice." Quinn nudged her nose against the apple of her cheek, kissing it softly. "It was my idea since Santana was going to give you some awful name just to rile me up." She caught Finn's gaze over Rachel's shoulder, who was still in her arms. "From New Jersey."

"Why New Jersey?" Rachel pouted at her. "You could've made me from the New York area at least."

"Rach, that's not really the point. Don't you think?" Quinn pecked her lips and handed her the ID. "Keep it with you if you need. I will definitely need one soon." She groaned when the tall guy started walking their way.

"Why's that?" Rachel furrowed her brows in confusion, but she hadn't to wait for too long after all.

"Hey Rachel." Finn tapped her on the shoulder, to catch her attention after having called out her name. It would've been enough, anyway.

"Finn." Rachel left one more soothing kiss on Quinn's neck and turned around, to stand by the blonde's side to face their mutual ex. "Hi."

"How are you?" Finn slipped his hands in the pockets of his black pants, wiping the sweaty palms on the fabric inside. "What a surprising turn of the events, don't you think? A runaway bride." He kept staring at the brunette as if Quinn wasn't even there. As if she wasn't there, holding her hand.

"I'll go fetch a drink. Anything you'd like?" Quinn asked, squeezing Rachel's hand, stealing her attention for a second.

"Whatever you'll have." Rachel smiled at her and squeezed her hand back, before dropping it so she could leave the awkward situation. She really didn't want to be the big elephant in the room.

"Be right back." Quinn moved past Finn without sparing him a glance. If he could treat her like she was invisible, she could play the same game too. Even better than him.

"You're still…" His voice trailed off. He knew she could get what you meant, without having to hear him say those. Without having to acknowledge they were still going steady.

"Yes, of course." Rachel nodded without missing a beat.

"Cool." Finn nodded tersely. "And you're managing fine with the distance and college? She's still at Harvard, right?"

"Yale." Rachel corrected him softly, yet firmly. "Quinn is attending Yale and with her GPA, she's second in her class. She also made it to the Nationals with the cheerleading team."

"She's still a cheerleader? I thought she'd be done with it by now." Finn chuckled. "But I guess popularity has always been her thing."

"She's not doing it to be popular." Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. "She got a scholarship because of her cheerleading achievements in high school and she'll keep doing it, if that's what she likes and she needs."

"Whoa. I didn't mean anything bad. I tried football at OSU, but I couldn't really make it, you know? I just grew out of it." He shrugged. "I put it all behind."

"Good for you, I guess." Rachel dropped her arms and just reached for the cross dangling around her neck, absentmindedly playing with it. "So, you're at OSU now?"

"I am taking a break." Finn watched some of that tension abandon her. "Mr. Schue needed a hand with the new Glee club and Burt can't manage both the shop and being in Congress. I might take over the shop in a few years." He held his head high with pride. He tilted his head to look down at the brunette and finally noticed the familiar cross she had been playing with, while they talked. "Is that new?"

"What?" Rachel looked down at herself. Was he referring to the dress she had bought for the wedding? "I got the dress back in New York."

"No, not the dress." Finn took a step closer and pointed to the gold cross that shone even brighter against her violet dress. "The cross...aren't you Jewish?"

"Half-Jewish, actually." She reached for it with her left hand, lifting it off her dress and weighing it in her palm. "It's Quinn's."

"Why are you wearing it?" Finn was confused.

"Because she gave it to me." Rachel let it drop back and caressed it with the back of her fingers. "So, now it is mine."

"I see." He looked away from it.

"Finn…" Rachel tried but they were interrupted by Kurt coming over to steal him away.

"We need your help with the DJ set. He can't find his headset or something." Kurt looked apologetically at her. "Sorry Rach."

"We'll talk later." Rachel nodded and patted the tall guy on his forearm, walking past him to join Quinn by the bar. She got why she needed that drink after all.

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

"God. Can he stop looking at you like that?" Quinn groaned under her breath, eyes lingering on the familiar guy looking their way even if they were a few tables apart.

"Like what?" Rachel looked away from the half empty plate and looked at the blonde.

"Like a puppy who lost their owner." She threw the napkin aside and leaned back in the chair, undoing the button of the top she wore over her dress. "He will never give up, will he?"

"Don't mind him Quinn." Rachel reached for her free hand and laced their fingers together, under the tablecloth draped over their legs.

"How can I ignore that when his eyes are always looking this way? It's like being stalked." Quinn sent him another death glare, but it wasn't working. It was like she didn't even exist in his world. "Does he even see me sitting here or am I just that invisible to him?"

"You're not invisible." Rachel kissed her cheek softly. "I see you perfectly fine."

"Oh geez, Berry. Keep it in your pants, we're trying to eat here." Santana stuffed her mouth with another cheese breadstick. "Q-ball maybe you should go have a talk with Finnessa over there? Mark your territory and shit like that."

"No Quinn." Rachel stepped in. "You won't do anything like that."

"Why not? If I were a guy, he'd respect me some more or we would totally work this out in a different way. Do you think I am intimidated by him? I could take him." Quinn sipped from the Mojito she had taken from the bar. She was halfway through it.

"No one is taking anyone and Quinn, maybe it's the alcohol talking, but he is twice your size. You cannot take him." Rachel nuzzled her cheek with the tip of her nose. "You're better than wanting to mark your territory around me. You respect me more than that."

"Why can't he respect that we're together then?" Quinn turned to the brunette. "I had to go through two songs that were clearly about you without saying anything. What would you do if someone went up there to serenade me in front of you?"

"You know what would be the cherry on top of this Finchel cake? If he asked you to do a duet with him." Santana snorted loudly. She laughed along with Tina and Mike and Artie, barely noticing the way Rachel looked away.

"Yeah. Funny huh?" Rachel laughed nervously, running a hand through her hair.

"Rachel…" Despite the alcohol making her way through her body, she could still tell something wasn't totally settling well with her girlfriend. "You're not going to do a duet with Finn, right?"

"Quinn…" Rachel pleaded with her eyes. She tried to take her hand in hers but the blonde just stood up, pushing the chair back with a loud screech.

"Anyone want a refill? It's on me." She reached for her purse and walked towards the bar counter, needing to get away from the table before she said something she'd end up regretting.

"That's fucking rich Berry. Even for you." Santana shook her head and reached for her own glass, finishing the drink with one last gulp. "I better go help Quinn before she gets hammered with our drinks."

"Maybe I should…" Rachel stood as well, but someone else had just joined them. Someone who had caused all of this mess, after all.

"Rachel, we're up next." Finn smiled at her.

"Oh shit, your timing is perfect Finnept. As usual." Santana walked away, laughing under her breath.

"Finn, I-" Rachel looked over at the bar, but Quinn's back was to her. If she could only look into her eyes once more.

"You should let her calm down." Tina suggested softly. "We'll keep an eye on her for you."

"Okay." Rachel sighed softly and nodded. "Let's make it quick Finn." She ignored his outstretched hand and just walked towards the stage. The sooner she was done, the faster she could work it out with Quinn.

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

"What the hell was that?" Rachel had followed her into the ladies' restroom and slipped in, once the other guest had left.

"What?" Quinn rinsed her hands under the warm water and then reached for a paper towel, wiping her hands with it.

"That dance with Santana. What is that supposed to mean?" Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, feeling the heaviness of her jealousy grounding her.

"It was just a dance. With my best friend." Quinn threw the paper aside and reached into her purse to touch the makeup around her eyes. "No biggie."

"Just a dance? You don't dance with a friend like that, Quinn." Rachel scoffed. "Arms around waists and whispering in each other's ear like it was just to the two of you. What was she telling you?"

"I don't remember…" Quinn brushed the powder over cheeks and looked back into the mirror. "She was telling me a joke or something else. You know her."

"Yes, I do. I know her well enough. She was probably talking your ears off about me singing a duet with Finn." Rachel looked at the back of Quinn's head. "Telling you what a bad girlfriend I am being to you."

"And that's such a lie, right?" She chuckled softly.

"Quinn…" Rachel took a step closer. Why was everything going so bad? Why did she feel like they were back to their younger selves in junior year, when it was easier to hurt each other than heal together.

"Did you even think about me?" Quinn looked at her through the mirror. "Did you even think what I would feel like, while you two sang a love song together, like the good old times?" She looked down at her hands holding the sink for dear life. "Like these two years didn't happen and you've been his all along?"

"Quinn…" Rachel tried again. She was just a couple feet away from Quinn and she could almost feel her. She could almost touch her.

"Are you with me or with him, Rachel?" Quinn turned around to face her. "Have you changed your mind about this? Because if you have, just say it and I will walk out of that door and let you have your happy ending with him."

"Oh no, Quinn." Rachel reached up to cup her face. She sighed in relief when Quinn didn't pull back or pushed her away. She let her touch her face and hold it gently, between her palms. "I want you. I only love you."

"I hear words Rachel. But I can't see it." Quinn looked away from her. "I can't see this love, tonight." She whispered softly, but it was loud enough to make Rachel drop her arms.

"You don't mean it." Rachel bit down on her lip, trying to stop it from trembling so much.

"I do." Quinn looked at her. "I feel like we're thrown in a sort of parallel universe where we no longer exist and it's you and him." She confessed sadly. "And I am watching you from the sidelines."

"No. It's not like that, Quinn." Rachel sniffed softly. "You're not on the sidelines. You're on the field with me." She took a step closer and reached to touch the heart hanging from her neck. "I am yours."

"Okay." Quinn nodded softly and looked down where her left hand rested, over her sternum. She looked down at the ring she had placed on Rachel's hand.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Rachel held a sob back. She didn't want to cry in front of her. She wanted them to sort it out and rewind the whole night. She wanted to go back to where things were, before they decided to attend this wreck of a wedding.

"I don't know. I am…" Quinn furrowed her brows. "I probably drank too much and I can't think properly." She was telling the truth, somehow. Her mind was clouded, but not by alcohol. It was clouded by the way she felt about Rachel. By the way she loved her and had been hurt by her at the same time.

"Quinn. I'm sorry." Rachel trailed her hand upwards to cup the back of her neck and leaned up to touch her forehead with hers.

"I know you are." Quinn nodded softly. She closed her eyes not to get lost in the way Rachel looked at her. Not to get lost in Rachel. "I need to sober up and we can talk more. Okay? I can't do this now."

"Why? Why can't we forget this and just go back to our room and talk there? Or I can drive us back home maybe." Rachel used her free arm to circle the blonde's waist, hand pressing at the back of her spine. She stroked the familiar scar through her dress, feeling Quinn relax in her touch.

"Because you hurt me." Quinn sighed deeply. "You know how I feel about him and I could've handled it." She leaned her head back. "I could've told him to leave us alone, but you...God, Rachel. You sang a love song with him, in front of everyone." She extricated herself from her arms and walked towards the door. "It should've been me. You chose him when it should've been me." With that said, she left the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind herself.

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

He was there when she exited the bathroom. He was there, hands tucked in the pockets of his pants, with his jacket undone revealing a frame that was not as slender as she had remembered him by. He had grown up since the last time they had seen each other at graduation, but he somehow still looked the same guy she had left behind. And he still had the same things to offer.

"Are you alright?" He stood in front of her, with his head tilted to the side.

"No. I am not alright, Finn." She wiped her eyes with the rough paper towel. She felt her cheeks sticky with tears and the makeup trailing along her skin. She should just go back to the bathroom and wash her face, again.

"Trouble in paradise? I stumbled into Quinn on my way here." He pointed to the stairs he had come from.

"Oh please, you're acting like you don't know we have been fighting over you." She shook her head. How could she be so stupid and let that happen?

"Over me? I didn't do anything. I think we barely said hi to each other." He scoffed. "It's not my fault if she feels threatened by us."

"Us? There's no us, Finn." Rachel went to move past him but he stood in the way, blocking her path.

"That's not true, Rachel. You know there's something here." He pointed to himself and then to her. "There will always be something between us." He pulled a flower from the inside pocket of his jacket and plucked a petal from it. "She loves me."

"Are you out of your mind?" She looked at him. "I don't love you, Finn."

"She loves me not." He plucked another petal and let it drop to the floor. "So you say but I know you're lying."

"Lying? Really, Finn...are you drunk?" Rachel shook her head and went to move past him again, but he stood in her path, making her more impatient to leave. "Get out of my way."

"I know you liked feeling my eyes on you." He plucked another petal, muttering under his breath. "You took my breath away when you walked in here. I could've stared at you forever."

"Quinn was right…" Rachel looked away, breathing in deeply.

"Of course she was." He plucked another petal slowly. "She did the right thing, you know? Leaving us to deal with all these unresolved feelings between us."

"She is not giving up on me." Rachel looked back at him. "She isn't giving up on us."

"That's why she fell into Santana's arms as soon as you turned your head? She was fighting for you while groping another woman on the dance floor? Or did she tell you it was just two friends dancing?" He chuckled. "She loves me." Two more petals to go.

"She would never betray me like that. I trust her." Rachel reached for the cross hanging from around her neck. She gripped it with both hands.

"So did I. But it didn't stop her from cheating on me or on Sam. Some people just can't help it." He plucked the second last petal. "But enough about her, we should talk about us."

"I need to find Quinn." Rachel circled around him to get to the stairs, but he reached for her wrist. He tugged her by it and stood in front of her, with the flower held high between their bodies.

"You know, relationships are a lot like flowers." He twisted the flower around, looking down at it. "If you find the right seed, put it in good soil, give it water and sunlight, bam. Perfect bud." He leaned down to smell it. "And then comes winter and the flower dies. But if you tend that garden, spring will come along and that flower will bloom again." He plucked the last petal. "She loves me." He stared down into Rachel's eyes.

"So, this is what you think of us? That we are like this flower and spring has finally come?" She looked at it and then down at the petals at their feet.

"Yes. We had our ups and downs but we are still here." Finn dropped the flower to the floor and used his free hand to cup her face. "It's me and you. We can start over again."

"So you got everything figured out right?" She looked at him expectantly. "So, tell me...tell me what you see in the future for us."

"Well, we get married." He nodded. "When I saw Emma, I could only think of you in a wedding dress and us standing there, at the altar exchanging our vows."

"When? When do we get married?" Rachel pulled his hand away from her face. "Will you be moving to New York so we can be together before you pop the question?"

"New York?" He faltered.

"You cannot expect me to move back here, right? I cannot be on Broadway and fly back and forth from Ohio." She dropped his hand. "What would you do in New York?"

"I...I am supposed to take over Burt's shop Rachel." He took a step back.

"And I am supposed to be in New York. I want Broadway. You know that I haven't changed my mind about it, do you?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I thought…" Finn nodded shortly. "You don't want a family?"

"I do. I want that, but I can still have that and chase my dream. One thing doesn't exclude the other, don't you think?" Rachel shook her head. How could she even let him go so far? She should've seen right through his intentions, since the moment they stepped in that church.

"I guess." He nodded softly.

"It's over Finn." Rachel took another step back. "It's been over for a while and you need to accept it and just move on."

"But...I want to marry you." Finn tried to take her hands again.

"I don't." Rachel wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't want to marry you and I don't love you anymore. I fell out of love with you. Years ago."

"You will never want a marriage? A house to call yours?" He sighed.

"I want that, but not with you." She looked down at the cross resting over her heart.

"Quinn…" Finn sighed in defeat.

"Yes. It's Quinn." Rachel looked up at him. "If she still wants me after today."

"You really love her? More than you loved me?" Finn rubbed the back of his head.

"Yes. More than anyone else." Rachel nodded softly. She didn't mean to hurt him, but he needed to know the truth and just deal with it. She was never going to be his again.

"Then, it's over." Finn nodded.

"Yes. It's over, Finn." Rachel leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek softly. "Goodbye Finn." She pulled back and walked up the stairs, hoping to find Quinn and clear the air between them.

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

She didn't know how long she had been asleep, curled on her side with her arms wrapped around one of the pillows, but when she woke up it was to someone moving around in the room. She hadn't been able to find her girlfriend in the room they had been assigned to, so she had just let the exhaustion take over her and she had dozed in the middle of the bed, with her dress still on.

"Quinn?" Rachel caught a glimpse of a familiar blonde walking around the room, gathering clothes and placing them in her suitcase. "Quinn, what are you doing?"

"What do you think?" Quinn had changed in a pair of dark jeans and a Yale hoodie. It was the same outfit she had driven them in, before they had changed into their wedding dresses.

"Where are you going?" Rachel slid off the bed and padded after her, taking into every moment she made.

"Yale. I can still catch an early flight." She moved around the brunette, having gathered her personal belongings.

"Wait...God, can you just wait?" Rachel stopped her from zipping her suitcase up and stood in front of her, pushing the open suitcase back.

"Why? Why should I wait?" Quinn crossed her arms over her chest.

"You can't leave like this. You're drunk and we can just sleep this off ok?" Rachel tried to take her hands.

"I slept it off enough to drive to the airport. It's a 20 minutes drive from here." She tried to reach for her bag behind the brunette, who pushed her back by the front of her hoodie.

"Where? Where were you until now?" Rachel gripped it a little tighter.

"A friend let me crash there with them." Quinn shrugged.

"A friend? Or maybe Santana?" Rachel loosened her grip and took a step back. "Were you with Santana?"

"So, what if I was? We're friends, nothing wrong with that." She zipped her suitcase up and dropped it to the floor, rolling it towards the door.

"Did you sleep with her?" Rachel's question made her freeze in the spot.

"Excuse me?" Quinn looked at her.

"You heard me. Did you sleep with her?" Rachel stood there, arms crossed over her chest. "Did you have sex with another woman?"

"Are you seriously questioning my loyalty to you?" Quinn chuckled bitterly.

"Answer the question." Rachel spat back.

"You know the answer to that question, Rachel. You should know by now." Quinn shook her head and reached for her purse. "I can't believe you can even think I would ever cheat on you. After all the secrets and the dreams we shared. After the plans we made together." She gestured between them. "We waited months to get together and you think I'd throw it away like that? For a quick fuck?"

"Why don't you tell me what she told you while you were dancing with her then? I am all ears." Rachel looked at her, challengingly.

"That's none of your business." Quinn gripped her keys hard enough to feel the metal scratch her palm.

"Wrong. It's totally my business when someone tries to get in between us." Rachel raised her voice.

"Santana is trying to get in between us? Really Rachel? You let Finn ruin this. You let him have a shot and he didn't miss it! You let him get between us!" Quinn yelled back. "Do you want to know what she told me? She told me to have faith in you. She told me to trust you would handle Finn and stopped me from making a fucking scene."

"Quinn…" The realization hit her and she found herself at loss of words. The cheating accusations. The jealousy over Santana. Everything crumbled on itself like a house of cards in a storm.

"If it hadn't been for Santana, you would have ended up singing on your own. I would have dragged him off that stage to kick his ass back to Lima." Quinn shook her head. "But yes, it is totally Santana's fault here or even mine."

"Quinn, wait…" Rachel reached for her, but the blonde backed away and into the door.

"Don't." Quinn raised her hand to stop her from getting any closer.

"Please, I'm sorry." Rachel tried again but the blonde slipped away and walked back in the room, taking a seat on the bed. "Quinn, I am so sorry." She kneeled in front of her and tried to meet her eyes, but Quinn simply didn't allow her to.

"I need to get going, I asked Tina to give you a lift back home." Sniffing, she pinched the bridge of her nose and held her own tears back. "Or you can ask Finn." She snarled bitterly and stood.

"Are you still coming to New York on Friday?" Rachel stood, hugging herself with her arms.

"I don't know...I don't think so." Quinn slipped her jacket on and zipped it up.

"But we had plans." Rachel wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Maybe Kurt can go with you." Quinn took the tickets from her purse and set them on the table by the door. "I will cancel the hotel room."

"Tickets?" Rachel took them with trembling hands. "You got us tickets to see 'The Lion King' on Broadway." She sniffed. "And passes to the backstage."

"Yeah. A friend from Yale has connections. I am sure Kurt will appreciate it more than I could." Quinn ran her fingers through her hair and reached for her suitcase.

"Don't go. Please." Rachel set the tickets back down and looked at the blonde by the door. "We can work it out."

"I can't. I am too…" Quinn shook her head. "I'd just make it worse."

"Okay." Rachel nodded. "Text me when you're in your dorm, please?"

"Okay." Quinn opened the hotel room and just walked away, without sparing the brunette one last glance. Without seeing Rachel crumble to her feet, crying for the mess she had made.

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

"You should eat something, you know?" Kurt placed a granola bar in front of her, hoping she'd just have a bite. She had barely gotten out of her room since they had traveled back to New York and has barely spoken.

"Not hungry." She hugged her knees to her chest and pulled her phone closer, scrolling through the pictures she and Quinn had taken during their last winter break. They were so happy. She felt invincible and now? She just wanted to crawl in bed and pass out there. She just wanted to rewind everything and get Quinn back. She needed Quinn back.

"What about NYADA? You skipped the past two days." Kurt sat down, crossing his legs. "Rachel, you need to get back to your life. You can't sit here doing nothing all day…"

"I miss her." Rachel wiped her cheeks angrily. The more she stared at their pics, the bigger was the hole in her heart. It was a hole shaped like Quinn.

"I know hun." Kurt sighed softly. "You tried calling her?" He knew she had tried, but it went straight to her voicemail.

"She won't return my calls." She sniffed softly. "She wants nothing to do with me, Kurt." She buried her face in the flannel pants she wore and sobbed into it, hugging her knees more to her chest.

"Oh geez, still the Niagara Falls?" Santana walked inside the loft, with her arms full of take-out bags. She had picked Chinese food on her way back, hoping to cheer the brunette up but there she was, bawling her eyes out over her fight with Quinn.

"Santana!" Kurt made a paper ball out of a take-out menu and threw it at the Latina's girl, who dodged it easily.

"I got those spring rolls Berry loves so much." She placed the carton box on the table and then got two more boxes, with the chicken noodles and the spicy beef ones. "She hasn't showered either, I assume?" She waved a hand in front of her nose.

"I'm afraid not." Kurt opened his box and dropped his chopsticks in it. "You've got news?"

"Nothing. I would tell you even if…" She trailed off and nodded to the brunette, still curled on herself.

"Even if what, Santana?" Rachel raised her head to stare at her, across the table. "Even if you shouldn't tell me? If you have things to say about Quinn, please don't hold back now." She wiped her face angrily and slammed her fist on the table, startling Kurt.

"Believe me, you don't want to hear what I think about this whole mess." She brought the noodles to her mouth, chewing slowly.

"You were happy to tell Quinn, though. You never approved this, did you?" She shouted at the Latina. "Why would you? You just want Quinn all to yourself, don't you?"

"God, Berry. Are you out of your mind?" Santana laughed loudly. "Do you think that if I had wanted her, she would have even gotten with you in the first place? Do you think you can compete with this?"

"Girls, that's not the point." Kurt tried to placate them, but he received a death glare from both that made his blood freeze in his veins. "Whatever, I'm outta here." He stood and retreated to his own room, to be able to eat without being caught in the middle of their fight.

"Do you think it's all in the looks? Are you that shallow?" Rachel chuckled bitterly. "You may be more attractive than I am, but you'd never have her heart like I do. She loves me."

"And what did she gain from it? Only a broken heart." Santana scoffed at her. "You picked a moron over the girl that has loved you for years. Smart move, Berry." She clapped her hands, slowly. "Bravo, Rachel."

"Shut up." Rachel clenched her hands in fists.

"You want to know what I think, Rachel?" She leaned on her hands, staring down at her. "You don't deserve her. You don't deserve someone like Quinn and sooner or later you were going to screw it up." She chuckled. "I never thought you'd be stupid enough to drag Finnept into it, but maybe you just deserve each other." She smirked. "How do they say? Birds of a feather, flock together."

*SLAP*

Rachel didn't realize what she had done, until her hand had collided with Santana's cheek. Until the pain registered in her hand and down to her wrist, that tingled from the strength she had put behind it. She didn't mean to react so badly, but she had reached her tipping point. She couldn't bear it any longer.

"Santana…" She held her hand against her chest and looked at the Latina, who had just taken the slap without any reaction.

"Fuck you, Rachel." Santana spat at her, holding onto the edges of the table with both hands. She held herself back from lunging at her and paying her back for the slap- She held herself back and just grabbed her food, storming out towards her own room and leaving Rachel to herself and her thoughts.

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"I wonder if Mrs. Walsh's goal in life is making our lives miserable. How can the assignment be due within two weeks?" The light brown haired guy held the umbrella over their heads, as they walked back towards their dorm rooms.

"That's why she is the toughest this year. Any insight from your cousin who had her last year, Nate?" Quinn lifted the lapels of her coat around her neck, shielding herself from the cold wind.

"Tripp? He failed it. He's probably waiting for me to give him tips." He chuckled softly. "So, you're coming to Jeff's party, or are you headed back to New York to Rachel?"

"I am staying here, but I'm not really in a party mood." Quinn sighed softly. "I am going to skip this one, but I'm sure you'll have enough fun for the two of us."

"Is everything alright with Rachel? Do you want to talk about it?" Nate tilted the umbrella and shifted closer to the blonde.

"Maybe one of these days we can talk about it, over a cup of tea or something stronger." Quinn nodded and looked up into his blue eyes.

If she had been stuck in her "perfect Fabray" stereotyped life, he would have totally made it to the list of potential boyfriends to introduce to her parents. He was the perfect kind of guy she was supposed to be married to and play a Stepford wife for.

Good thing she had escaped that life and they could stick to being friends at least. Good thing she was free to choose to get her heart broken by petite brunettes, with big dreams.

"Quinn? Isn't that Rachel?" Nate cleared his throat and pointed to the brunette standing by the entrance of their dorm complex. She was drenched from head to toes and kept on shifting from one foot to another, obviously trying to get herself warm despite the coldness and the rain.

"She is going to catch something, damn it." She jogged her way towards the brunette, who lit up at her sight. "Are you crazy, Rachel?" Quinn swiped the card in the electronic slot and opened the door with some struggling, until Nate pulled it open from behind them.

"Hey, Nate." Rachel said through chattered teeth.

"Hey. Let me help you with that, Rachel." He closed his umbrella and lifted the pink suitcase off the floor, carrying it inside the warm hallway that led to the two dorm complexes. He walked behind Quinn, towards her dorm room, carrying the suitcase with ease.

"Thanks Nate." Quinn held the door open with her body and took the suitcase from him, sitting it beside hers.

"Anytime. It was good to see you, Rachel." He smiled charmingly at the brunette, who nodded softly and returned his smile. "Maybe we can catch up later, give me a call ok?"

"Sure. We'll talk later." Quinn thanked him with a smile and let him head back towards his dorm, before shutting her door closed.

"Quinn…" Rachel rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She was soaked to the bone, despite the coat and the sweater she wore underneath.

"You're going to catch something. Are you fucking insane, Rachel?" Quinn pushed the coat off her shoulders and then tugged the sweater off her, throwing it to the floor. "Do you want to risk your career? Everything you've worked for?"

"I don't care. I needed to see you." Rachel felt even colder now, standing in just a button down shirt and a skirt. "We need to talk, Quinn."

"You don't care? Well, I do and you're just going to jump in the shower." She pointed to the en-suite bathroom. "You know where the fresh towels are, right? Help yourself and I'll put these in the dryer. You can borrow something from my closet."

"Quinn…" Rachel grabbed her by the front of her sweater. She tugged her by it and stopped her from leaving.

"We'll talk, okay? But get in the shower first." Quinn nodded softly, giving into her pleading eyes. "I don't want you to get sick."

"Okay." Rachel nodded and headed towards the familiar bathroom, in just her underwear. She sent one last glance to the blonde, who had gathered her damp clothes and was heading out of the door, to the common laundry room.

Fifteen minutes later, Rachel emerged from the bathroom clad into a Yale shirt and Quinn's WHMS red sweats, rolled up around her bare ankles. She was towelling her hair slowly, to wipe the water in excess and not to drip on the dorm's hardwood floors.

"There's a peppermint tea on the desk, with two tablespoons of honey." Quinn looked up from the book she had in her lap, as she read against the headboard of her dorm bed.

"Thank you." Rachel brought the cup to her mouth and took a tentative sip. The hot liquid was a solace against her itchy throat.

"Welcome." She muttered under her breath and went back to her book. She tried to go through more words, but her mind was elsewhere. Her mind was on the girl just a few feet away from her, leaning against her desk and looking at her with such a desperate love that her heart couldn't ignore it. "What are you doing here?"

"You haven't returned my calls." Rachel sat the half empty mug down.

"I know. I had nothing to say." Quinn sat up straighter, throwing the book aside.

"Nothing? It's been almost a week, Quinn." She dropped against the desk, hands over her chest. "You're still mad at me?"

"It's not that simple, Rachel." Quinn swung her legs over the side of the bed, planting her feet on the ground. "There's some residual anger, but I'm mostly disappointed and sad. Do you get where I come from?"

"Yes. Yes, I get it, Quinn." She padded towards the bed and took a tentative seat at the edge of the mattress. "I am sorry."

"I know." Quinn nodded softly, staring at her profile. "I know you are and I can forgive you but it's going to take me longer to put it all behind. To-"

"Forget? You're never going to forget this." She wiped her cheeks with her hands. "It's not the way you handle these things."

"You don't know that." Quinn gripped the bedsheets with both hands.

"I do. You haven't forgotten anything your family did to you." She sniffed softly. "Why would you forget this? I probably hurt you like they did, if not more."

"Rachel…" Quinn sighed softly.

"I never meant to hurt you Quinn." Rachel sobbed lightly. "I never wanted that and if I could go back, I would just make a different choice. I wish I could go back and erase everything."

"But that's not possible and we'll both have to deal with this." Quinn ran a hand through her hair.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Rachel looked at her, sniffing.

"Rachel…" Quinn angled herself to stare at the brunette.

"God, you are aren't you?" She stood from the bed and started pacing back and forth in the dorm room. "You are breaking up with me." She muttered to herself, hands tugging at the collar of her shirt.

She felt like suffocating. Why was the dorm so small? Why couldn't they open the fucking window?

"Rachel." Quinn's voice felt like miles away. She felt so distant and weak, that she wondered if she was imagining it. Was it all in her head?

"It's over. It's over." Rachel's fingers tugged at the shirt, trying to get it off her. "I knew it. I ruin everything. I can't…" She held her hands over her throat. The sobs were so strong that she couldn't breathe. She felt her whole body shake.

"Rachel." Quinn's voice echoed in her ears.

She tried to follow it but she couldn't move. Why couldn't she move?

"Rachel, God." Quinn's hands touched her face. She was drenched in cold sweat. "Rachel, look at me."

"Quinn…" Rachel's eyes settled finally on the blonde in front of her. Her beautiful hazel eyes were so sorrowful that she felt more tears fill her eyes.

"Rachel, you have to calm down." Quinn's heartbeat was steady under her ear. "Breathe with me, Rachel. Can you breathe with me?"

She felt herself light as a feather. She felt like she was walking on clouds, feet above the ground. She sank into the softness of the cloud and let herself go, closing her eyes.

"Rachel." Quinn's voice was stronger. "Baby, please you have to breathe with me."

"Tired." Rachel snuggled more into the warmth surrounding her. It felt so safe there.

"Rachel…" Quinn's hand slapped her cheek lightly. She slapped her again, forcing her back into a state of semi-consciousness.

"Quinn?" Rachel squinted her sore eyes. They were itchy from all the tears she had shed.

"God, you're back." Quinn's hand cupped her cheek, brushing the tears back with tenderness.

"Where...where are we?" Rachel lifted her head enough to make herself aware of her surroundings. How did she make it to Quinn's bed? How did she even make it to the girl's lap, where she was sitting?

"You...I think you had a panic attack or something." Quinn sighed in relief. "You were pacing like a mad woman and crying and talking to yourself. You had a hard time breathing and I was so fucking scared."

"Sorry. It's the first time in years." Rachel tried to sit up, but she just felt the room spin around her.

"Don't move." Quinn had slipped one of her arms under her knees and the other behind her back, cradling her against her chest.

"But we…" Rachel nodded tiredly in the crook of her neck. She gripped on the front of her sweater and snuggled more into the blonde, who simply held her closer.

The rest could wait...

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When Rachel woke up, she realized they must have shifted in a more comfortable position.

They had moved into a familiar spooning position, with her being the little spoon and Quinn holding her from behind, one forearm stretched under her neck and the other arm over her waist.

She could feel Quinn's fingers loosely wrapped around her wrist, thumb brushing over the skin of her pulse.

She usually held it there when she needed to make sure she was fine. When, after a nightmare, she needed to feel her relax under her arms. When she needed to be sure she was really okay.

Closing her eyes, she nuzzled her nose along the girl's forearm and used her right hand to caress the skin of her wrist, under the sleeve of her sweater that rode high.

"What time is it?" Quinn's raspy and sleepy voice startled her.

"I don't know." Rachel moved back into Quinn, when she felt her move around to catch a glimpse of the night clock on the desk.

"We skipped dinner." Quinn yawned into the back of her neck and curled back around her, fingers wrapping around her wrist. "And it's too late to order in."

"I am not hungry." Rachel curled more around herself, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You shouldn't be skipping meals, you know? It's bad for your health." Quinn's hand trailed along her forearm to slip under the hem of her shirt. "You lost some weight." She traced the shape of her ribcage, confirming her suspects.

"Santana keeps tabs on me, now?" Rachel scoffed.

"Kurt texted me." She caressed her side with the back of her knuckles. "He is worried about you."

"I can take care of myself just fine." Rachel reached for her hand and pulled it out of her shirt. "I don't need him to babysit me."

"Don't be a brat." Quinn pulled her back in when she tried to escape from her arms.

"I am not a brat." Rachel pushed against her chest, but Quinn was in control and had pinned her hands to the mattress, each side of her head.

"Yes, you're acting like a spoiled brat." Quinn looked down into her eyes. "I know you can take care of yourself but why didn't you?"

"I just missed you." Rachel looked away from her. "Nothing made sense without you."

"Rachel." Quinn sighed and leaned down to nuzzle her face into the crook of her neck. "That's not a good reason."

"I didn't feel anything, Quinn. I only wanted you." Rachel whispered softly in her ear. "That's all I could think of."

"I missed you too." Quinn nodded softly and settled comfortably on top of the brunette, who hugged her with both arms and legs. "Do Kurt and Santana know where you are?" She left a kiss on her neck and slipped back on her side, with an arm draped over her waist.

"Yes. I left Kurt a note." Rachel tucked herself closer, lacing her fingers with Quinn's on her stomach. "Santana and I got in a fight."

"Oh. What about?" Quinn leaned in to nuzzle her nose along her temple. "You're okay?"

"You. We fought over you." Rachel looked away in shame. She tilted her head to the other side, staring out of the dorm window.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Quinn slipped further up, settling her chin atop her head.

"Not really, no." Rachel sniffed and wiped her cheek on the pillow. Her fingers squeezed Quinn's hand, brushing over the scar on the inside of her wrist.

"Okay." Quinn moved her arm to curl it around the side of her face and brought her closer, letting her hide into the crook of her neck and soak the collar of her sweater, with her hot tears. "It's okay. I got you."

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"Rachel, you should eat some." Quinn pushed the plate back in front of the brunette, who had barely touched her vegan pancakes.

"I...I'm not hungry." Rachel hid her face in the collar of the sweatshirt she had borrowed from Quinn's closet.

"I don't care. You need to eat." Quinn cut a piece of pancake and handed the fork to the brunette. "Do you feel sick?" She checked her forehead with the back of her hand.

"No. I am fine." She reached for her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"When are you going back to New York?" Quinn turned around in her seat to straddle the bench, where they sat.

"I don't know. I didn't think of it." Rachel furrowed her brows. "It...I didn't know if you had wanted to see me, so I was prepared for anything really."

"Why don't you stay for the weekend? Maybe you could go back on Sunday evening." Quinn's fingers brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear.

"Do you want me to stay?" Rachel looked at her, with a sideway glance.

"We need to talk." Quinn's fingertips trailed behind her ear, caressing her skin under her hair. "We can find somewhere quiet to have dinner and we can talk."

"Sounds like a good plan." Rachel nodded softly. "I would like that." She brought the fork to her mouth, eating some.

"Rachel...how are you feeling today?" Nate sat on the bench across them, with a tray with his own breakfast.

"Good morning, Nathaniel." Rachel looked at him with a soft smile. "I am good, thank you."

"You know...you're the only person who calls me like that outside my family." He brought a piece of bacon to his mouth, chewing slowly.

"That's your name, isn't it?" Rachel looked at her girlfriend for confirmation.

"It is, but I guess Nate likes the shorter version better." Quinn reached across the table to steal a piece of bacon from his plate. It was perfectly crunchy. "Right, Nathaniel Fitzwilliam Archibald?" She smirked at him.

"I hate you. I should have never told you my full name." Nate slapped her hand away, when she tried to get another piece of bacon from his plate. "Rachel, keep your girlfriend on her side of the table."

"Quinn." Rachel tugged her back down by the back of her sweater and handed her a napkin, to wipe her fingers clean.

"Whipped." Nate muttered under his breath. With his mouth stuffed with bacon, he looked at the two girls who were sitting close but not like they did before. Something had definitely happened. "So, you're staying over for the weekend?"

"I think so." Rachel looked over at Quinn, who had cut a piece of pancake to eat herself. "I will go back on Sunday."

"So, you can come to the party tonight?" He finished his glass of orange juice and pushed the tray to the side. "Jeff is throwing it off campus. He's got a place downtown. Everyone is going to be there, you can't miss it."

"I don't know...we…" Quinn looked at Rachel. "Do you want to go?"

"We can talk after or even tomorrow?" Rachel reached for her hand. "We will talk."

"Alright." Quinn dropped a kiss against her temple and turned to look at the guy. "Fine, count us in. What time should we meet up?"

"8 PM, in front of the library." Nate stood and took the tray with him. "Don't be late!" He saluted them with a wink and walked away.

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"Fabray!" A tall muscular black guy greeted them as soon as they had walked through the door. Jeff was the linebacker of their Yale football team, in his junior year as a Drama graduate.

"Lammers. Nice place." Quinn hugged him back and then turned to Rachel, who stood behind her with her hands clasped together. "This is Rachel, my girlfriend."

"Oh, you're the Broadway singer right? Quinn can't stop gushing about how talented you are." Jeff shook her hand.

"I am just a student." Rachel blushed lightly. "I am not that good, really."

"You are. You're just so talented." Quinn kissed her temple and pulled her closer.

"Awww, you're just so cute." Jeff held a hand over his chest, batting his eyes in an exaggerated way.

"Stop it." Quinn pushed him back playfully and helped Rachel out of her coat. "Is my squad here?"

"Those who came are in the living room, helping set up the karaoke machine. You will sing us something, Rachel?" Jeff pointed to the archway on his right.

"Sure, why not?" Rachel smiled softly.

"Archibald, give me a hand with the drinks." He grabbed the boy from his shoulders and steered him towards the kitchen, while Rachel and Quinn headed to the living room.

"Cap!" A lanky brunette jumped to her feet as soon as they had crossed the threshold. She tugged a couple of other girls with her, until they stood in front of Quinn with similar grins. They had definitely helped themselves with the alcohol.

"How many, girls?" Quinn stood in front of them, hands on her hips in a familiar pose.

"Two beers." A shorter brunette said from her right. "I am the designated driver, Cap."

"Alright, don't get hammered ok? And Monica?" She turned to the brunette. "Keep an eye on them, if there's any trouble, you know what to do." She squeezed her shoulder in approval.

"Hi, Rachel!" The cheerful voice of the youngest cheerleader caught their attention.

"Hi, Stacey." Rachel waved back to the girl behind Laura, the tallest of the trio.

"God, Gilmore." Quinn shook her head amused. She really couldn't stay mad at the youngest of the team. She was like a puppy on their first day of training. "Go eat something greasy, just tonight ok?"

"Give the girls a break, Captain Fabray." Jeff appeared with a bowl of chips and a guitar draped over his shoulders.

"What's that for?" Quinn pointed to the straps of the guitar.

"The karaoke machine isn't working, so I will offer my services as a guitar player." He stood in the middle of the living room. "Who wants to go first?" He yelled loudly enough to be heard by everyone.

The silence in the room was deafening. Everyone looked around themselves, drinking from their cups - whether they were empty or full - and pretended to chat on the sidelines, to avoid meeting his eyes.

"Rachel? Can you show them how it's done?" Jeff brought a chair over and took a seat on the arm of the couch, guitar in front of him.

"But…" Rachel looked at Quinn, who just smiled encouragingly. "I guess we can break the ice." She left a kiss on Quinn's cheek and took a seat on the chair. Leaning over, she whispered something in Jeff's ear, who nodded softly.

_Vintage tee, brand new phone_

_High heels on cobblestones_

_When you are young, they assume you know nothing_

_Sequin smile, black lipstick_

_Sensual politics_

_When you are young, they assume you know nothing_

With her hands folded in her lap, Rachel sang softly and the silence around her was astounding. No one dared to move or say anything, too entranced by the way her song filled the room with its sweetness and warmth.

_But I knew you_

_Dancin' in your Levi's_

_Drunk under a streetlight, I_

_I knew you_

_Hand under my sweatshirt_

_Baby, kiss it better, I_

Nate stood behind Quinn, looking over her shoulder at the brunette who sat there and sang her heart out. Who was singing to the blonde, standing there with her heart thumping loudly in her chest.

_A friend to all is a friend to none_

_Chase two girls, lose the one_

_When you are young, they assume you know nothin'_

_But I knew you_

_Playing hide-and-seek and_

_Giving me your weekends, I_

_I knew you_

_Your heartbeat on the High Line_

_Once in 20 lifetimes, I_

"You said she was good, but this is simply amazing, Quinn." Nate whispered in her ear, squeezing her shoulders from behind. "Whatever happened, you can fix it."

"Yeah." Quinn nodded dumbly and stared back at the brunette, taking a step forward.

_To kiss in cars and downtown bars_

_Was all we needed_

_You drew stars around my scars_

_But now I'm bleedin'_

Quinn reached for the scar on her wrist and traced it slowly, with her thumb. She caressed it the way Rachel usually did, whenever they were together, basking in the aftermath of their encounters or before they fell asleep, in each other's arms.

_But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss_

_I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs_

_The smell of smoke would hang around this long_

_'Cause I knew everything when I was young_

_I knew I'd curse you for the longest time_

_Chasin' shadows in the grocery line_

_I knew you'd miss me once the thrill expired_

_And you'd be standin' in my front porch light_

_And I knew you'd come back to me_

_You'd come back to me_

_And you'd come back to me_

_And you'd come back_

Rachel stared at Quinn across the room. She stared at her, thinking back to the moment she had found her on her doorstep after Regionals. After she had gotten in a car accident and her first thought had been to come see her. Her first thought had been to come find her and honor the promise she had made to her. To come find her to make Rachel hers. To come find her and give herself to Rachel.

_And when I felt like I was an old cardigan_

_Under someone's bed_

_You put me on and said I was your favorite_

Quinn held her gaze with hers, as the song faded and Rachel sang the last words. She held her gaze and waited. She hadn't to wait too much to hear the loud clapping from around them.

"Whoo!" Nate yelled loudly from behind her. He cheered and encouraged another round of applause, but everything faded into a distant noise. Everything she could feel was Rachel. Everything she could see was Rachel. Rachel was everything.

"Thank you." Rachel stood and thanked the crowd and Jeff. She blushed embarrassed, when the other guests patted her shoulder on her way back towards Quinn, who stood by the door, without saying anything. "Hey." Rachel looked up at her.

"Hey." Quinn gulped down the imaginary lump in her throat. She looked around them, at the audience they had. Of course, everyone's eyes were on them. "Come with me." She grabbed her by the hand and moved them towards the back door, to have some privacy.

"Quinn…" Rachel followed her along, trying to keep her inside the warmth of the house. "Quinn, can we-" She huffed when her back hit the side of the house and a hot mouth swallowed the rest of her protests away. Rachel's hands gripped the hem of her sweater to keep their fronts pressed together, while their lips clashed and their tongues chased one another.

"Rachel…" Quinn pulled back out of breath. Her forehead pushed against Rachel's and her hands slid down her back to grab her by the backside, lifting her hips into hers. "You hurt me."

"I know. God, I am so sorry Quinn." She stood on her tiptoes to resume their hard kiss. "I won't do it again, you must...please, believe me." Her words were spoken against her open mouth.

"I felt like we were back to Junior year but…" Quinn sighed softly and dropped more weight against Rachel, who fell back against the brick wall behind her back. "I didn't know what it felt like being with you back then. This was worse. It felt like I had lost you to him. I had lost everything."

"No. You have not." Rachel's fingers slipped behind her head to tilt it downwards and just rest then together. "I'm yours. I'm only yours."

"Okay." Quinn sniffed softly and pushed more into her, burying her face against the side of her neck.

"Ahem." A familiar voice broke them apart. "I thought you might have wanted to put these on, it's cold out here." Nate held their coats in his hands.

"Thanks." Quinn slipped hers on and helped Rachel with her coat, pulling the lapels up to shield her throat. "We are coming back in a bit."

"Don't worry about it. You definitely need to work things out." He reached in the back pocket of his jeans and handed her his car keys. "Take the car back to the dorm, I will catch a cab or crash here or somewhere else." He winked at the blonde.

"Stay away from my cheerleaders, Casanova." Quinn took the car keys.

"Off-limits, I know. But I'll keep an eye on them." He held his hands in surrender. "Have fun, Lucy Quinn." He winked at them and then walked back inside.

"I will kick his ass tomorrow." She looked at Rachel, who was still leaning back against the wall of the house. "Do you want to go back in there?"

"Can we go back to your dorm room? Unless you want to be with your friends." Rachel looked back inside the crowded living room, where she could see people dancing.

"They'll understand. You stole the show, anyway." Quinn took her by the hand, leading her back towards where Nate's BMW was parked.

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It didn't take them much to feel the mood shift from the frenzy outside Jeff's house to something quieter and, somehow, awkward. The ride back to the campus had been quiet, with the sole company of the radio playing in the background while Quinn drove them back. Once parked, they had walked, side by side, to her dorm room with million thoughts running through their minds. With million questions and doubts.

The kiss they had shared in the open felt like a distant memory, replaced by the weight of the events that had occurred just the prior week.

"I'll get you something to sleep in." Quinn rummaged through her closet to get a long sleeved shirt and pair of pajama pants, for Rachel to wear.

"Thank you." Rachel stood by the door, arms wrapped around herself. Was it her or it was just colder?

"You're cold?" Quinn walked to the door to get a look at the display by the door. The temperature seemed to be fine, though.

"No. It's fine." Rachel looked at the blonde, who had one hand braced against the wall behind her head.

"I never thought I would be so jealous before you." Quinn used her other hand to cup her face. "I didn't care about Finn or Sam like that, but seeing you with Finn got me so mad. It's always hit a nerve." She brushed her thumb over the apple of her cheek. She traced it slowly, almost trying to burn every inch of her skin in her mind. Almost to be able to draw her by memory, if she had ever lost the privilege to stare at Rachel like that.

"I am sorry, Quinn." Rachel's hands fell to the hem of her sweater, tugging her by it. She pulled her closer, so they were really a breath away from each other. "I don't know how long it will take you to forgive me, but I will never stop apologizing for having hurt you. I will apologize for the rest of my life, if you want me to."

"No. I don't want that." Quinn's palm slid down her face to cup the side of her neck. Her thumb brushed over her pulse point, feeling it slow down under her touch. "I don't want you to keep on apologizing for it. What's done is done."

"Then, what do you want, Quinn?" She fisted the fabric of her sweater and leaned up, to brush her lips over Quinn's.

"I want you to choose me." Quinn looked down into her eyes. "I want you to pick me, to choose me." She kissed her top lip. "To love me more than anyone else."

"I do." Rachel nodded softly. "I will. I will always choose you." She kissed her tenderly. "You're the one. My only one."

"No more Finn? Or anyone else?" Quinn brought both hands to her cheeks, tilting her head to kiss her slowly. To kiss her with a gentleness that she didn't know she even possessed. To kiss her as if she was about to break in Rachel's arms.

"I told Finn to leave us alone." Rachel shook her head. "I should have handled him since the beginning but he won't try anything anymore."

"Really?" Quinn pulled back to stare down at her with a surprised look.

"He said he wanted to marry me." Rachel's fingers slipped under the hem of her sweater to hold onto her slender hips. "He wanted to build a family with me."

"What did you say?" Quinn's voice faltered.

"That I didn't see anything of those things happening with him." She pulled her closer by the waist. "That I didn't want them with anyone but you."

"Me?" Quinn took in a deep breath.

"I want to marry you, some day." Rachel leaned up to kiss her softly. "I want to walk down the aisle and find you there, in a beautiful wedding gown with that disarming smile that still makes my heart skip a beat or two."

"God, I would marry you tomorrow." Quinn nodded softly and kissed her back.

"I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to have a lifetime with you too, like my parents or your grandparents had." Rachel pushed her forehead against the blonde's. "It's a long road, maybe a bumpy one, but there's no one else I would want by my side. Only you."

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

**"** Rachel?" Quinn whispered against the back of her head, arm outstretched under her neck and the other around her waist, with her hand holding onto Rachel's wrist from behind.

"Yes?" Rachel was close to give into Morpheus' promises of a well deserved night of sleep. She was right where she belonged. In Quinn's safe arms.

"You really thought I could cheat on you?" Quinn scooted closer, placing a soft kiss against her right shoulder, through the shirt she wore to bed. "With Santana?"

"You can have anyone, Quinn." She felt the sleep escaping her, replaced by a state of alert. "Santana is a pretty girl. Prettier than me."

"Maybe to other people, but not to me." Quinn nuzzled her face into the crook of her neck. "Do you realize what you mean to me, Rachel? Do you know what you really mean to me?"

"Tell me." Rachel brought her palm to her lips, kissing her love line and down to her scarred wrist.

"The first time we made love, I stayed up just to watch you sleep beside me." Quinn whispered right against her ear. "I couldn't sleep, because I was scared to wake up to an empty bed. I was scared it was only a beautiful dream and you weren't really there." She kissed the skin below her ear. "You're my dream come true and I would never feel like that about someone else. It's you."

"No one else?" Rachel looked at her over her shoulder.

"No one." Quinn leaned in to kiss her trembling lips. "You're the prettiest girl to me. You're the girl that lights the whole room, when she walks in. I can barely keep my eyes off you, when you're around."

"Quinn…" She turned around in her arms to pull her impossibly closer.

"So, you think I could have anyone but I don't want anyone but you." Quinn leaned her forehead against Rachel's.

Rachel didn't know how to respond to that. She didn't know how to respond to that with words. That was Quinn's field more than hers. Quinn had a way with words that left no doubt about who was going to be the writer between the two of them. So she did the only thing that could be equally meaningful. The only thing that could match the beauty of Quinn's words. That could march the depth of her confessions.

She kissed her. She kissed her hard and deep. She kissed her like she had never kissed her before. Like it was their last kiss and the world was going to end soon.

She kissed her and tugged at anything she could hold onto, to keep Quinn close while their mouths battled for dominance. While their lips bruised and swelled, carrying the evidence of their uncontrolled passion.

Clothes came off in between the oxygen breaks. Clothes were thrown across the room, in the haste of getting closer. In the haste of feeling closer, without anything else holding them back. Without anything to stand in their way. Clothes piled onto the floor, by the bed or the door, in a mess that they were going to deal with, in the morning. Clothes were ripped to shreds, in the desperate need to fill each other up. To fill the void that had been unattended for too long.

"Fuck." Quinn threw her head back against the headboard, hoping they wouldn't get a noise complaint from the occupants of the adjacent room. She had hit it hard enough to ache. She was being loud enough to be heard through the walls.

"Should I gag you, to keep you quiet?" Rachel straddled her lap, rolling her hips down into her while her mouth left angry red marks all over her porcelain skin. She had a perfect white canva to paint with her love.

"No. I…" Quinn fought the moans back and gripped her by the ass, pulling her down against her. She pulled her against where she needed it the most. Where it throbbed so much that she could explode, any minute now.

"Good girl." Rachel lowered her hips into her lap, rubbing herself against her. She kept her pinned there, thighs spread for her to move freely. For her to grind up and down. Left and right.

"Harder." Quinn bit down on her lip when Rachel hit a particular spot. She bit it harder, when their nubs slid heatedly together. She could feel every inch of her slide against her and it was driving her crazy.

"Harder? Or faster?" Rachel braced herself against the headboard to roll her hips faster. She was perched on her knees, moving back and forth like she had done it for years.

"Anything." Quinn's legs were locked around her thighs. She was so spread wide that she could only thank her cheerleading training, for being able to do a perfect split even when she was being fucked into oblivion. Even when Rachel moved so deliciously against her.

"I am so wet for you." Rachel tilted her head back against the headboard and licked the blood off her split lip. She sucked it hungrily, while her hands reached for her backside. She lifted it off the mattress to find a better angle for her thrusts.

"Rachel…" Quinn was drunk with pleasure. She could barely keep her eyes open or her voice down. She could only lie there and let Rachel do whatever she wanted with her. Whatever she wanted to her.

"Open those eyes for me." Rachel kissed her closed eyelids. "Let me see you."

"Baby…" Quinn struggled to keep her eyes open, but when she did, she got lost in Rachel's eyes. She got so lost that she didn't want to find her way back. She wanted to stay there. Wherever that place was.

"Keep them open. Don't leave." Rachel kissed her softly. She kissed her painfully slow, that Quinn whimpered when she pulled away. She whimpered when their mouths parted and they were only joined below the waist.

"I am not going to last." Quinn's fingers tangled in her locks. She tugged her by them and kissed her again, harder. She kissed her harder as the familiar warmth pooled in her lower belly.

"I don't want you to hold back." Rachel pulled her down the mattress and fit between her legs, upping the pace of her already hard thrusts. She was rubbing herself so hard that they were going to be sore in the morning. She was rubbing herself on Quinn so hard that she was going to feel her for days. So hard that she was claiming Quinn. Quinn was hers.

"Rachel." She moaned in her mouth as she let it go. She screamed into her lips, sucking on her tongue while her core throbbed and gushed hard.

"Quinn." Rachel followed her soon after. She tumbled off with her, coming all over her. She kept on throbbing against Quinn, letting her feel how equally hard her release had been.

"Fucking hell." Quinn dropped on the mattress, arms spread at her sides and her head tilted back, to stare up at the ceiling but not really looking at it. She was simply panting, with an open mouth, and an ache between her legs.

"Mmm." Rachel disentangled from her to drop beside her, on her back. Her head, pillowed by Quinn's forearm, was tilted to the side, facing the oak desk.

"Where...what's gotten into you?" Quinn tilted her head towards the brunette, who was now staring back at her, with a tired smirk.

"I just got inspired." Rachel stretched her neck enough to kiss her swollen bottom lip. "Happy Anniversary."

"Oh." Quinn nodded dumbly, hit by the realization it was their anniversary after all. 2 years. "It's been two years." She grinned and curled her forearm to draw Rachel closer for another kiss.

"Yep." Rachel followed her along and rolled on her stomach, hand between her breasts and the other by Quinn's head, to brush her sweaty hair back.

"It's been a hectic week." Quinn closed her eyes briefly and snuggled closer, seeking Rachel's warmth, across the mattress.

"You can say that." Rachel's knuckles brushed along her forehead and down the bridge of her nose. The same nose she had wanted to put on herself but, to think of now, looked better on Quinn's face.

"We can only hope it'll be easier next year." Quinn scrunched her nose and reached for the duvet, throwing it over their nude bodies.

"If not, there will be the following year." Rachel's fingertips traced the heart locket on Quinn's chest and then trailed upwards, to caress the side of her neck. "Quinn?"

"Yes, baby?" Quinn pulled her closer, half on top of her and locked her arm around her back, stroking her opposite side with her fingers.

"Can we be in love again?" Rachel hovered her in her naked glory and with the same glare she had gotten lost in, during their lovemaking.

"No." Quinn pulled her closer when her words made Rachel freeze in her arms. "We can't, because I never stopped being in love with you, Rachel." She leaned up to kiss her gently. "I will never stop loving you, Rachel."

"I will never stop loving you too, Quinn." Rachel cradled her face between her arms and just lowered her mouth on hers, to seal their promise of love with a kiss. A kiss that felt like their first one. A kiss that felt like the first one of their new journey together.

_Sharing all your secrets with each other_   
_Since you were kids_   
_Sleeping soundly with the locket_   
_That she gave you clutched in your fist_

**THE END**

**comments? thoughts?**

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? Comments? Reviews are always more than welcome


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